Bipartisanship

Definition

Bipartisanship refers to a political situation where members of different political parties cooperate and work together to achieve a common goal or policy objective, rather than engaging in partisan conflict or pursuing strictly partisan agendas.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Bipartisanship is seen as important for effective governance, as it allows for the consideration of diverse perspectives and can lead to more durable and widely accepted policies.
2. Bipartisanship has become less common in recent decades, as political parties have become more ideologically cohesive and polarized.
3. Divided government, where the executive and legislative branches are controlled by different parties, can sometimes lead to increased bipartisanship as the parties are forced to work together to pass legislation.
4. Partisan polarization, where political views become increasingly extreme and divided, can make bipartisanship more difficult to achieve.
5. The decline of bipartisanship has been linked to the rise of more ideologically homogeneous political parties, the increasing influence of partisan media, and the growing importance of party loyalty and fundraising.

Review Questions

• Explain how bipartisanship relates to the two-party system in the United States.
  • Bipartisanship is closely tied to the two-party system in the United States, as it involves cooperation and compromise between the two dominant political parties. In a two-party system, the parties have a strong incentive to work together to pass legislation and govern effectively, rather than engaging in pure partisan conflict. However, as the parties have become more ideologically polarized, bipartisanship has become less common, with the parties increasingly pursuing their own agendas and resisting compromise.
• Describe the relationship between divided government and bipartisanship.
  • Divided government, where the executive and legislative branches are controlled by different political parties, can sometimes lead to increased bipartisanship. When the parties are forced to work together to pass legislation and govern effectively, they may be more inclined to compromise and find common ground. However, divided government can also exacerbate partisan conflict and make bipartisanship more difficult to achieve, as the parties may be more focused on political maneuvering and obstructing the other party's agenda.
• Analyze the impact of partisan polarization on the ability to achieve bipartisanship in the political system.
  • Partisan polarization, where political views become increasingly extreme and divided, can significantly undermine the ability to achieve bipartisanship. As the parties become more ideologically homogeneous and less willing to compromise, the incentives for cooperation and finding common ground diminish. This can lead to a political environment characterized by gridlock, partisan conflict, and the pursuit of strictly partisan agendas, rather than the consideration of diverse perspectives and the development of durable, widely accepted policies. Overcoming partisan polarization and restoring a culture of bipartisanship is seen by many as a crucial challenge for the effective functioning of the American political system.

Related terms

Partisanship:

The strong loyalty to one's own political party, often resulting in an unwillingness to compromise or cooperate with those from other parties.

Divided Government:

A situation where the executive branch is controlled by one party and the legislative branch is controlled by another party.

Polarization: The process by which political opinions and views become increasingly extreme and divided, with little room for compromise or middle ground.